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Discover Venice this Spring

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - May 29, 2012) - Venice is one of the most iconic cities in the world, and its impressive palaces, bridges and gondola rides are definitely worth a visit. But whilst most tourists often head to the city centre, the surrounding area also offers a whole host of wonderful places to enjoy. The best beaches in the area are spread along the Lido coast, offering wide expanses of sand sloping gently into the sea.

The scenery is incredibly varied, with the Dolomite Mountains to the North, beautiful Lake Garda to the West, and the lowlands to the South. As the summer temperatures in Italy can reach the early 30's - especially in the months of July and August - now is the best time to book cheap flights to Venice and discover all that this stunning city has to offer.

For a relatively tiny area, Venice harbours a wealth of artistic and architectural wonders that many large nations couldn't even lay claim to. Some of Venice's unique and overwhelming sights are displayed in showcase churches and major galleries. Others are harder to find, concealed along hidden medieval streets. The San Marco piazza and basilica are the beating heart of the city. Many of Venice's major attractions are situated here, including the Campanile and Torre dell'Orologio. In the alleys that wind from this hub towards the Rialto and Accademia bridges are chic stores, a great opera house (the Teatro La Fenice), and glowing Madonna icons in spectacular churches.

The Grand Canal is perhaps the most iconic of Venice's many stunning attractions. No other city in the world can boast quite such a magnificent main street - a graceful sweep of water flowing between lavish churches and historic palazzi of breathtaking beauty. No trip to Venice would be complete without a punt down one of the city's picturesque waterways in an iconic gondola.

As with the rest of Italy, Venice prides itself on the quality of its food and drink. The city has a long and glorious culinary tradition based on fresh seafood, and the wine growing area to the North East is also one of the country's best. There are many spectacular waterside bars offering stunning views across the waters. The Venetians are also passionate about making ice-cream (gelato), and experimenting with new flavours using only the freshest natural ingredients.

Leading scheduled leisure airline, Monarch, provides low cost, high quality flights to over 50 destinations worldwide. Visit www.monarch.co.uk now to book a flight to Venice from £37.